THE Celtic duo will have better options in the summer if they see out the rest of the season at Parkhead.

NEIL LENNON will be having sleepless nights over fears his best players will be sold during next month’s transfer window.

Celtic chief Peter Lawwell will be expecting bids to land on his desk for key players such as Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper.

To end the speculation, why don’t Wanyama and Hooper come out and state categorically they are going nowhere next month?

Their time will come – this summer, in fact – and staying with the Hoops for five more months won’t do them any harm.

In many ways, I’d expect them and guys like Fraser Forster to have better options in the close season when the real moves happen.

Many of Lenny’s stars are being admired and I can’t blame anyone for having their heads turned by what’s on offer down south.

You need only look at Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling going from £2000 to £30,000 a week to know England is where the real money is.

But there is nothing wrong with showing a bit of loyalty. Hooper was given a huge platform by Celtic after managers down south had reservations about the near £2million transfer fee demanded by Scunthorpe.

Wanyama was in the backwater of league football in Belgium until Celtic raised his profile by taking him from Beerschot.

The pair would be better served seeing the season out with another SPL title and enjoying the last 16 Champions League tie against Juventus.

Of course, should unbelievable offers come in for either then they’d have to go. Lennon would accept that.

By that, I mean a figure upwards of £13 for Wanyama and £8m for Hooper who only has a year and a half of his contract to run.

But this is a time when players should be wanting to JOIN Celtic instead of leaving.

They are being paid handsomely and are idolised by the fans. It’s not to be sniffed at.

The current crop has taken Celtic to the next level under Lennon and should enjoy the weeks and months ahead.

Being paired against Juve is slightly less daunting than facing Bayern Munich or Dortmund. That said, Celtic must be at their best – and hope the Serie A champs are under par – if they are to succeed over two legs. Antonio Conte’s side play lovely football and Gigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo are two of the most experienced and talented campaigners in the game.

The move to Juve has rejuvenated Pirlo – he makes them tick and can control games.

That’s why I rate Celtic chances at no better than 70-30 in favour of Juventus.

But Lennon will be pleased the first leg is at home on February 12th. They will have more than 55,000 fans in the stadium and they will make it an atmosphere to remember.

That may help them to a victory and give them something to defend in Turin on March 6th. Even a 0-0 draw would be decent.

Most managers prefer to be away from home in the first leg – but Celtic could get spanked three or four nil over there. The tie would then be a damp squib. But there is no chance of that with the opener being at Parkhead.

Whatever happens, Lennon and his men can hold their heads high. Their fans have loved their Euro run and the team’s stock has risen beyond belief. The Parkhead money men have won the Euromillions and sponsors have had exposure they never thought possible.

Imagine what it would be like if they beat Juventus and make history by making it to the last eight? Wanyama and Hooper can’t get that anywhere else this season.